Leg connection



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. CALVIN A. GONGWER MMS.

A TTORNEY C. A. GONGWER LEG CONNECTION Sept. 7, 1965 Criginal Filed Feb.10. 1961 Sept. 7, 1965 c. A. GoNGwER 3,204,262

LEG CONNECTION Original Filed Feb. l0, 1961 2 sheetssheet 2 INVENTOR.CALVIN A. GONGWER A TTORNE Y-S United States Patent 3,204,262 LEGCONNECTION Calvin A. Gongwer, Glendora, Calif., assignor toAerojetglelperal Corporation, Azusa, Calif., a corporation of o Originalapplication Feb. '10, 1961, Ser. No. 88,554, now f Patent No. 3,122,759,dated Mar. 3, 1964. Divided and this application Feb. 28, 1964, Ser. No.348,233 7 Claims. (Cl. 9-301) This application is a division of myco-pending application Serial No. 88,554, led February 10, 1961, nowU.S. Patent 3,122,759 issued March 3, 1964.

This invention relates to swimmer propulsion devices and has for itsobject to provide a swimming device operating on a iisht-ail-likepropulsion principle. Heretofore, swimmcrs aids have primarily beenbased upon the principle of enlarging the effective area of the handsand feet. It has been noted that the Australian Crawl utter kick is usedby most swimmers, and it tends to be quite similar to the action of atishtail. However, the swimmeris limited upon the endurance of theindividual 'muscles used in this swimming stroke. Fin systems previouslyknown in the art were adapted to be located and were operable at or nearthe feet of the swimmer. A principal objection of former devices was theunsatisfactory oscillation of the body, that is, the body wagged, ratherthan the tins.

The present` invention however eliminates this objectionable oscillationof the body by virtue of its novel construction. In its broadest aspect,the present invention comprises a plate adapted to be engaged to legs ofa swimmer below the knee. A pair of tins are pivotally attached to anextension of the plate.

A principal feature of the present invention is the transversereactions, of the tins which are perpendicular to the propulsivereactions, are directed through the approximate center of gravity of thebody since the tins are positioned immediately adjacent to the torso.Therefore, the body maintains its attitude despite these transverseforces.

Another feature resides in the stabilizing wing that can be adjusted bythe swimmer during use to aid in diving or surfacing.

Another feature residesjin the provision of a swimming deviceoperablerby the lower body, leaving the arms free to perform work whileunderwater.

Other features and advantages not specifically nu- .merated above willbe apparen-t after consideration of the following detailed descriptionand the appended claims. The preferred form which the invention mayassume is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in whichz.

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the present invention in use by aswimmer in a relaxed position;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the present invention similar to FIGURE1 with the swimmer in a kick position;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevation of the present invention;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the present invention;

FIGURE 5 is a partial side elevation of the present invention shown witha swimmers foot holding the rear stabilizing wing in a diving attitude;and

FIGURE 6 is a partial side elevation of the present invention, similarto FIGURE 5, shown with the swimmers foot holding the rear stabilizingwing in a surfacing attitude.

A swimming device 10 incorporating the present invention is shown inFIGURES 1-4. Three principal elements form the swimming device 10 andconstitute: the leg plate 12 straddled by the swimmer, the forwardoscillating fins 14, 16 and a rear stabilizing wing 20.

3,204,262 Patented Sept. y7, 1965 ICS The plate 12 is generally flat andoblong in configuration and constructed from an upper portion 22 and alower portion 24.A A plurality of bolts 26 are tixedly attached to thelower portion 24 of plate 12 and pass through a plurali-ty ofpassageways (not shown) in the upper portion 22. Wing nuts 28 arethreadedly received by the bolts 26 and are positioned on opposite sidesof the upper portion 22. Adjustment of the wing nuts 28 allow the upperportion 22 to be adjusted in relation to the lower portion 24.

The plate 12 has a plurality of projections 30, 32, 34, 36 extendinglaterally therefrom, the projections 30, 32 lying in one row andprojections 34, 36 lying in a second row, thus providing a pair of rowsof such projections. The position of the projections 30-36, as shown inFIG- URES 1 and 2, illustrate the support around the leg and calf of aswimmer. Padding may be provided around the projections 30-36 to Iavoidpossible discomfort to the legs of the swimmer while in use. Theprojections 30-36 are adjustable by the wing nuts 28 to allow swimmersof diiferent leg sizes to use the same swimming device.

A ycurved rod 40 having a bifurcated end portion 42 is iixedly attachedto the plate 12 by a plurality of rivets 44, or the like, and extendsforwardly of the plate and lies in the plane of the plate 12. A pair ofvanes 14, 16 are pivotally mounted on the forward portion of the curvedrod 40 on the stub shaft 46 which extends in generally oppositedirections from the rod as seen in FIGURE 4. Stub shaft 46 is xedlyattached to the rod 40 and rotatively re-ceived by the vanes 14, 16. Theplate 12 straddled by the swimmer, the projections 30, 36 on the plateand rod 40 constitute means for transmitting motion from the swimmer tothe oscillating ns 14, 16.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURES l and 2, a harness and coil springarrangement is used to center the tins 14, 16. The ns are near thecenter of gravity of the swimmers body in FIGURE 1 to reduce to aminimum the waggle or other movement of the swimmers body in response toa component of force incident to oscillatory motion of the tins. Thedirection of this component is traverse or lateral to the direction ofmotion of the swimmer through the water. Although a spring is shown as acentering device in this embodiment, other components may be used, suchas torsional springs acting on the ins 14, 16 and positioned between thetins 14, 16 and the rod 40. A U shaped harness 52 is pivotally attachedto the iins 14,A 16 at pivot points 53, 54, respective- 1y. AA coilspring 56 engages the U shaped harness 52 at point 57 (FIGURE 4) and theeye bolt 581that is fixedly attached to the rod 40. Adjustment intension of this spring to suit the strength and speed of a swimmer byVvarying the amount of feathering action maybe provided by a turnbuckleor the like (not shown).

A stabilizing iin or wing 20 is provided in the rearmost portion of theplate 12. A link 60 is pivotally mounted on the plate 12 by a rivet, andis ixedly mounted to the wing. The link 64 is xedly attached to the Wing20 and terminates in a pedal-like projection 66 which can be used by theswimmer to adjust the position of the wing 20. FIGURES 5 and 6 show themovement of the wing 20 from the diving to the surfacing position whenmanipulated by the swimmers toes or foot. A spring 68 engages the eyebolt 69 which is attached to the plate 12 and the eye bolt 70 whi-ch isattached to the wing 20. It is within the scope of the present inventionto use either a stabilizing wing 20 which is stationary or to use -awing which may be adjusted prior to putting the device in water. Thepurpose of the stabilizing wing is to hold the swimmers body in a levelattitude. It is also conceivable that the wing may be completely removedand that the swimmer use his arms to stabilize the attitude of the bodywhile swimming. Stabilization may also be achieved by conventional swimfins attached to the feet which may be tilted in much the same manner.

In operation, the swimmer straddles the device by placing a leg on eachside of the plate 12 and inserting the lower leg and calf between theplurality of projections 30-36. The device is usually mounted while theswimmer is within the water of such a depth so that the device may beimmediately used. The swimmer assumes the prone position as illustratedin FIGURES l and 2 and begins the swimming stroke which is as follows:the knees are dropped in relation to the torso forcing the ns 14, 16downwardly in the water to the position seen in FIGURE 2. The forwardedges of the pivoted ns 14, 16 lead the rear edges during downwardmovement thereof since the downward force exerted by the swimmer istransferred directly to the forward edges of the fins and the waterresistance underneath the tins retards downward movement of the rearedges. This movement of the fins 14, 16 starts their feathering oroscillating stroke. When the swimmers legs are thereafter straightenedcausing the ns 14, 16 to move upwardly to the position in FIGURE l, thefins will be pivoted about the stub shaft 46 to -a position as shown inphantom lines in FIGURE 2, the water above the ns resisting upwardmovement of the rear edges of the tins. The spring 56 constantly urgesthe iins 14, 16 to the center position and aids in causing the fishtailor oscillating motion to reoccur and propel the body through the water.The arms of the swimmer may be held directly in front of the head withthe hands extended to aid in directing the swimmer. The hands may bemanipulated to act as vanes to cause yaw or roll. The feet may alsomanipulate the stabilizing wing 20, FIGURES 5 and 6, to cause theswimmer to dive or surface upon the will of the swimmer. The swimmerthereafter repeats the knee action stroke to cause the iishtail motionthereby propelling the body through the water.

It will be recognized that modifications may be made within the scope ofthis invention. For example, the device may be operated by using thehands rather than the legs to cause the oscillating iishtail motion ofthe ns. It is also possible to adjust the tension of the springs on thepropulsive ns to gain maximum eiciency. It is also possible to removethe stabilizing n or wing entirely and allow the manipulation of theswirnmers arms to hold the body in 4a level attitude. My invention isnot to be limited to the single embodiment illustrated, which is givenfor illustration rather than limitation, and is limited only by thescope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A leg connection for constraining the legs of a primate body relativeto a structure comprising a member adapted to be disposed between thelegs and to extend longitudinally thereof, four slats each of which issubstantially tangent t0 the Surface of each of vsaid legs at thefollowing areas: back of the leg immediately below the knee bend, backof the leg immediately above the ankle bend, front of the legimmediately below the knee cap and front of the leg immediately abovethe ankle bend; said slats being attached to said member and extendinglaterally from the opposite sides thereof in a substantiallyperpendicular relation with respect thereto.

2. A leg connection according to claim 1 in which the said memberbetween the legs is a plate in contact with the inner sides of saidlegs.

3. A leg connection according to claim 1 in which said member betweenthe legs is split and adjustably restrained, said split isolating theslats which are substantially tangent to the front surfaces of the legsfrom the slats which are substantially tangent to the back surfaces ofthe legs.

4. A leg connection comprising two slabs in coplanar relationconstrained by interconnecting rods to substantially one dimension ofmotion perpendicular to said slab lengths, one of said slabs having twosubstantially perpendicular projections extending right and left andcontactable to the back of a pair of primate legs; the second ot saidslabs having two substantially perpendicular projections extending rightand left and contactable to` the front of said pair of legs.

5. A leg connection according to claim 4 in which said rods compriselinear members having linear positioning lock means constraining therelative position of said slabs.

6. A leg connection according to claim 4 in which said rods comprise atop and a bottom threaded rod screwed to restraining nuts which controlthe relative position of said slabs.

f 7. A leg connection comprising a longitudinally split v plate having apair of elongate plate segments held together by a transverselyextending top bolt and a transversely extending bottom bolt inadjustable relationship, one of said plate segments having a top and abottom pair of slats for contacting the back surfaces of legs, the otherof said plate segments having a top and bottom pair i slats forcontacting the front surfaces of legs, both of said top pairs of slatsbeing adapted to contact a pair of primate legs immediately below theknees, and both of said bottom pairs of slats being adapted to contact apair of primate legs immediately above the ankle bend.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS FERGUS S.MIDDLETON, Primary Examiner.

1. A LEG CONNECTION FOR CONSTRATINING THE LEGS OF A PRIMATE BODYRELATIVE TO A STRUCTURE COMPRISING A MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE DISPOSEDBETWEEN THE LEGS AND TO EXTEND LONGITUDINALLY THEREOF, FOUR SLATS EACHOF WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY TANGENT TO THE SURFACE OF EACH OF SAID LEGS ATTHE FOLLOWING AREAS; BACK OF THE LEG IMMEDIATELY BELOW THE KNEE BEND,BACK OF THE LEG IMMEDIATELY ABOVE THE ANKLE BEND, FRONT OF THE LEGIMMEDIATELY BELOW THE KNEE CAP AND FRONT OF THE LEG IMMEDIATELY ABOVETHE ANKLE